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ASIA& PACIFIC: MALAYSIA

Government Considering Personal Data Protection Bill
Author: Patrick Mirandah, Patrick Mirandah & Co.

There has long since been calls for stringent laws governing data protection in Malaysia. With no adequate laws in place at present, the state of individuals privacy lies in uncertainty.

Members of the public and government representatives have strongly urged the Government to draft/enact legislation which affords protection of personal data and information to individuals, following a local controversial case where a Credit Tip Off Services company was liable for breach of privacy in providing inaccurate information on individuals to financial institutions.

In light of this, the Malaysian government has given the people her assurance that the Personal Data Protection Bill will be channeled through Parliament later this year especially since the Bill has remained unlegislated for more than a decade since its proposal in 1997.

The Act will enable individuals to determine the type of information that can be provided for, to whom the information can be revealed to, the obligation to ensure accuracy of information and the obligation in ensuring that the information revealed is not contrary to the law, thus upholding the publics confidence. 

With the vast growth in the information era, especially with the rapid expansion of e-commerce it comes as little surprise that the enactment of the Act will be hailed as a milestone in today’s day and age where individual privacy is weighed with utmost importance.

It has long since been a concern that Malaysian citizens were not afforded with proper protection with regard the issue of privacy. The Government’s initiative will prove successful as such a move will enable the preservation of privacy rights of individuals.